


Truth or Dare

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: First Time, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-29
Updated: 2006-03-29
Packaged: 2019-02-02 05:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12720276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: The new General invites his former team members over for a barbeque and Daniel and Jack have a heart to heart talk.  A first time fic.





	Truth or Dare

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Spoilers for Lockdown (Season 8), M/M kissing and some dirty thoughts.  


* * *

You'd think being the Big Cheese would enable me to get out of a lot of crap, maybe by thrusting it onto my Second In Command or by appointing other minions to deal with it. But I'm beginning to get the feeling there are things that even God can't get out of, and one of those is obviously paperwork. 

There are so many things that I never would have associated with being the one in charge: crises like the new furnishings in the VIP suites showing up in the wrong color fabric and the kitchen receiving Yukon Gold Potatoes instead of Russet. Why it's important for me to know who makes the brand of lightbulb we use in the emergency exit signs I'll never know, but obviously the decision couldn't be made without me. And I now know far more than I ever wanted to about the difference between latex gloves and the hypo-allergenic kind.

So far, the disadvantages seem to be outweighing the advantages, but every once in a while, I get the chance to do something cool. Like make sure the four of us all have the weekend off, so I can guarantee everyone shows up for my first cook-out as Brigadier General Big Cheese In Charge of The Grill. That's my new unofficial title, I'm having it embroidered on my chef's apron. 

Some things never change: Lieutenant Colonel Head Honcho In Charge of Chips and Dip Carter and her co-conspirator Doctor-Doctor Head Civilian In Charge Of Alcoholic Beverages Jackson were sloshed by nightfall. While Master Warrior and Designated Driver In Charge Of Potato Salad Teal'c had somehow managed to finish off third helpings of everything and then came back to take care of whatever was left before I closed down the grill.

By the time we brought the food in, cleaned up and settled in the living room, Carter and Daniel had convinced Teal'c that he needed to know more about the phenomenon known as Party Games. Carter suggested Truth Or Dare. Yeah, right. That was the last thing I needed at that point. I had enough beer in me that I might just tell the truth if asked, and that was definitely not going to happen, so I nixed that one in a heartbeat. As I told them, some things are better left unsaid. 

As if they hadn't been hassling me enough all day already. Daniel started giving me grief as soon as he walked through the door. "Jack, can you open this for me? I just can't get a good grip on it, what with my *gun shot wound* and all." "So I stole your hotdog! What are you so upset about? At least I didn't *shoot you!*" Then Carter got in on the fun and they started double teaming me. "Dammit, Sam! Is that your fingerprint in the icing?" "Maybe. So what are you gonna do about it, huh? Shoot me?" 

Hah hah, real funny, guys. Yeah, it's all good natured ribbing until someone gets an eye poked out with a barbeque fork. Brightman gave Daniel one more week with the sling, and he's been playing it up for all it's worth; for some odd reason he doesn't seem to have any trouble using that arm as long as I'm not in the immediate vicinity. T just raised an eyebrow from time to time, keeping his own council on the matter. I guess he figured I had my hands full already with the Bobbsey Twins.

I've always had. My hands full, that is. Those two together are a danger to life and limb. Get a few drinks in them and they're like teenagers - high energy, high maintenance, just plain old high. And I love them both. I used to worry about that. It's difficult to send someone you love into danger, and I had to make those kinds of decisions every time we went off world. But finally, I figured out why we worked. Why the four of us made such a good team. Because we did care. But we also knew what we were up against, and were willing to put ourselves on the line for each other and what we believed in. It was because of who we were to each other that we were the best team out there. 

And now that responsibility belongs to Carter. She has to make those tough decisions. To see her now, laughing and joking with Daniel, ribbing Teal'c good naturedly about his hair, you wouldn't imagine there's a tough as nails Air Force Colonel in there somewhere. But I know, and I'm proud that I had a hand in shaping who she is today. And with T and Daniel on her team, how can she go wrong? Teal'c is the voice of experience and wisdom, a solid strength and loyalty that she knows will always stand firm behind her. My brother in arms.

And then there's Daniel. Argumentative, stubborn, opinionated, courageous, strong and caring; Daniel is the heart of SG-1. Through the years our friendship has grown and flourished, suffered and fallen to the side, and come back stronger than ever. We all thought we'd finally lost him when he ascended. That he had to come back to us is my secret joy and shame. I'm sorry he had to leave his life out there, where he thought he could do more good, could maybe make a difference, but I'm so glad he's here. Maybe that's selfish, but I don't care. Life isn't the same without him here where he belongs - with us.

I realized about then that I'd been staring at Daniel for a few minutes now. Fortunately Daniel and Carter were so busy laughing at each other's jokes that they hadn't noticed. T just cocked his head slightly to one side to let me know nothing got past his scrutiny, but that's okay, I think he understands. I shook myself mentally, and focused on the conversation around me. 

Even after all these years on Earth, there are still a lot of things Teal'c doesn't know about the Tau'ri, and he's fascinated by American Culture. So Daniel and Carter were describing children's games which led to adult games which led to drinking games which lead to games you're only willing to play when drunk which led us all the way back to Truth or Dare again. 

Interestingly enough, at least to Daniel that is, there's a similar game on Chulak, but it's only played by couples that are courting and it's used to determine if the two are actually compatible with each other. According to Teal'c, it's broken up many an unsuitable couple. I can see that. That's why we're not playing it tonight. If used without the proper amount of caution, the truth can be a dangerous thing.

Sitting back watching a drunken Daniel and Carter explain Charades to Teal'c was an experience I'll never forget. I laughed until my eyes were watering as they tripped all over each other, miming a tag-team version of "Gone with the Wind." Although I didn't mention it, it was about then that Daniel's sling came off to give him more freedom to gesture. That led to a hilarious game of Twister using out of date magazines as different color dots, with Daniel tied up in a big knot on the floor while Carter crawled underneath him to get her left hand on the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated. I kept an eye on that magazine, I'm not through with that one, yet. 

The impromptu Twister game ended with the two in a pile in front of the fireplace, their faces red from laughter and drink and I was stunned by the beauty of the two of them. If they hadn't turned out more like siblings than anything else, I could have imagined the two of them together. It was a bit disturbing to see them like that; red faced, breathing hard, hair a mess, lying on the floor sprawled all over each other. It hit me in a rush that I couldn't tell which one was more attractive. I tucked that disturbing thought back where it belonged in the far recesses of my mind and finished my beer.

Eventually things calmed down a bit, and the talk circled round to the lockdown and Anubis. I pointed out that Daniel wasn't the only one who got shot last week or at least infested by a nasty alien. And then we had a toast to Vaselov. None of us knew him that well, but even if he had started out kind of cocky, in the end he proved himself a brave and noble man. Besides he saved my butt in the process, so I had to honor him for that. 

The evening broke up not long after that. Not much left to say, I guess. As has become custom in our little circle (I still want to call them My Team, but in deference to Carter, I try to avoid that) Teal'c drove Carter home, and Daniel stayed at my place. I think we got in that habit back when the team was first formed. I'd let them all stay here to avoid the drive, but Teal'c doesn't drink and besides, he prefers to kel no reem in his own room on base - less distractions. And Carter. Well, it's just a good idea that the female team member doesn't spend the night at her CO's home, just on general principal. Doesn't matter there's nothing going on between us, there's just no sense encouraging that kind of gossip.

I always really appreciate this portion of a team night; after Teal'c and Carter leave, Daniel brings out one more round of whatever our poison has been for the night and the two of us just hang out. I never know what we'll come up with. It all depends on what we've been doing, or what topics come up or what wild hair crosses one of our butts, but whatever we end up with is always interesting. Tonight it was mellow. I think Daniel was still thinking of Vaselov, but who knows, he's had a lot of loss in his life, he could have been thinking of any number of people.

We'd been sitting in silence for a while, listening to the pop and sizzle of the logs burning down in the fireplace. Not an uncomfortable silence, but I could tell there was some heavy thought behind it. I looked over at him across the coffee table, sitting forward on the edge of the couch, elbows on knees, hands wrapped around the stem of his wine glass; his eyes focused intently on the fire even though I don't think that's what he was seeing. I reached out my foot and tapped his, "Hey you. What's up?"

It took a second for his eyes to focus on me, but I think it was more the thoughts than the alcohol that caused it. "What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about loss. You don't really have much say in it, do you? You never know when it's going to strike. Sometimes you have time to prepare for it, but often, there's no warning. Nothing to let you know that this may be the last time you ever see someone, the last chance you'll ever get to be with this person, to say the things you always wanted to tell them, just never found the time, the opportunity, the courage to say."

He looked a little lost just then, and before I'd even consciously decided to do so, I left my chair and crossed to him, sitting close beside him on the couch. I put my beer down. "You're one of the bravest people I know, Daniel -"

"Yeah, right. I'm afraid of a lot of things, Jack. I can't believe you've never seen that."

"That's not what bravery is all about, Daniel. Bravery is doing what you have to do despite the fact that you're afraid. If you weren't afraid, I'd have kicked you off my team years ago. A healthy dose of fear will keep you and the rest of your team alive. You just can't let that fear cripple you. If fear stops you from moving forward, then you're a coward. You've never been a coward. You believe strongly, and you're willing to fight for what you believe. That's why you're on my team. That's why you're my friend. I believe in you, Daniel." 

His head was bowed, his face focused on the glass in his hand. "Thank you, Jack. That means a lot to me." He put the glass down on the table, and turned to me suddenly, looking me in the eye at last. "Truth or dare, Jack."

'What?"

"I have something important to tell you. Something that's probably been true for some time, but I've only come to realize recently. It's big. For me it's very big. So I'm taking a dose of courage and trust that you'll understand and accept it in good faith. Truth or dare. Words or action. Your choice."

I can't imagine what he's going to say. But whatever it is, it's something that's taking a lot of courage; I can see that. I realize whatever it is, he needs my support. Of course I'll stand by him. And being a man of action, there was no choice. "Dare."

He nodded, like he knew that's what I would say. Then he took my face in his hands, and kissed me. Holy shit! Well, I never saw that one coming. It was a brief kiss. A chaste, closed mouthed kiss, but I knew immediately what it meant. And I realized suddenly that I shouldn't have been at all surprised. It made perfect sense. Like a lightbulb going off in my head - why the hell didn't I think of that? I sat back against the couch; I know there was a dazed look on my face. 

I looked at Daniel. He was staring at me, with a look of defiance. Like he's not sure if I'm going to hit him or smile, but no matter what, he's not backing down. And I honestly couldn't have told him which I felt like doing. "Well, huh."

He frowned. "What does that mean."

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. But you can stop freaking out. I promise I'm not going to punch you."

"Thanks. I feel much better now." His wry humor showed even through his nervousness, and he grinned self-consciously. 

"I - well, that is, umm...aren't you. I mean, I thought you were straight." I felt so foolish, stumbling over my words. Like a school kid with a crush.

"Oh, that. Well. Yeah. I think I used to be."

"Used to be?" 

"Yeah. Before. Before I ascended, that is." He's fiddling with his wine glass again, and suddenly he takes a big gulp, finishing it off. "You um...want another?" He motions to my beer. 

"Oh, yeah. Good idea. Yeah, that would be...a good idea." I finished off the one I had while he went into the kitchen and brought back a beer, and the bottle of wine. He handed the beer off to me then poured himself a good sized glass and drank half of it down in one long swallow.

"So."

"So." My mind was going about a hundred miles a minute, but I was having trouble focusing on one thing long enough to make much sense. Finally I just plunged ahead with the first thing that had stuck in my mind. "You think being ascended made you gay?" 

That got a grin out of Daniel. Cool, he was beginning to look kind of pale by that point. "No, I wouldn't say that. I think that maybe waking up with no memory of who I was, what I was, may have opened me up to possibilities I'd just never thought about. We grow up conditioned to heterosexuality, it's part of our culture and experience. I think that maybe knowing so little about myself gave me the opportunity to think differently, before that cultural conditioning took over when I began to remember again. When I started to remember who we were to each other; our friendship, our closeness and our distances - it just hit me. Suddenly I knew. Oh! I love Jack. There it was. Plain and simple."

"So you've known this for a while now."

"Well yeah, close to a year, I guess. It took me some time to work it all out, and get used to the fact. I had a lot to think through. And I didn't want to confuse things. You know, chain of command and all - you were my direct CO. Then things got pretty confused all on their own. There you were in stasis in Antarctica. I realized suddenly that I could lose you, and you'd never know how I feel. I thought you had the right to know, so I promised myself that if I got the chance to tell you, I would. Then without warning, you're back, you've been promoted, and everything is changed. Okay, so you're still my CO, sort of, but it's different now. Besides, you deserve to know. So, now you know."

"Yeah, now I know." I opened the beer I'd been fiddling with, and took a big gulp. Daniel finished off his of wine and poured the last of the bottle into his glass. Looked like he was feeling as awkward as I was. 

"I have to tell you, Daniel, you took me totally by surprise. But now that I know, it makes perfect sense. Perfect sense."

"It does? What does, Jack? What makes sense?" He was looking a bit puzzled, like it still didn't really make sense to him, even after all the time he'd had to get used to it.

"Well, everything. Okay, so don't get me wrong, here, because I don't know what any of this means, but I think - maybe - I'm a little bit in love with you, too."

"You are?" I could see the surprise on his face, and maybe just a little bit of hope.

"I think so."

"Oh."

"The problem is, I don't know if there's anything I could do about it. I mean, I've never done - never even thought about - *it.* You know what I mean?" Doing it? I can't even manage to say it, let alone think about doing anything about it.

"Yeah, I do. I totally do." 

"So how do you know you could - do - whatever...you know." I don't know how I could have gotten any vaguer if I'd tried. Fortunately by now, he's pretty well versed in Jack-speak.

"Well, I did some research."

"Research?"

"Well, yeah. It's what I do, after all."

"Oh yeah, right." Well yeah, he would, wouldn't he?

"And I thought about it. I mean with you. What it would be like, with you."

"And?"

"I think it would work. I mean, it worked for me. Thinking about it, that is."

"It turned you on?" I was getting some really disturbing images in my head involving Daniel, gay porn sites on the internet and a bottle of lube. Ok, that seemed - interesting. 

"Not at first. But it didn't turn me off, either. Which I really thought it might."

"Oh, yeah. I can see that. But it didn't. Turn you off, I mean."

"No, it didn't. And once I got used to the idea, and started really exploring it," (Exploring?) "I began to see the possibilities." 

"Yeah?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're a good looking man. For your age."

"For my age?"

"Well, you do have a few years on me."

"Way to make me feel better, Daniel."

"But you're hot!" 

"Don't try and change the subject. You think I'm hot?"

"Well, yeah. Of course I do, Jack. I don't think I could - well, you know - if I didn't find you attractive."

"The gray kind of throws people, sometimes."

"No, that's not a problem, honestly. I like the gray."

"Don't say I look distinguished."

"What? No, I wasn't going to say that."

"Because everybody says that. I don't believe it for a second. What kind of research?" 

"Hmm?"

"You said you did research?"

"Oh, right. Well, I started with the basics. I found a copy of 'The Joy of Gay Sex' -"

"There's one of those for gays?"

"You're familiar with the book?"

"Sure. Sarah had a copy. So there were pictures and everything, huh?" I remember the pictures.

"Oh, yes, detailed illustrations. And descriptions of the different sexual acts and what to expect-"

"Right. Right." I thought about the copy we'd had. It hadn't left much to the imagination. I started thinking of myself and Daniel doing some of the things they'd illustrated in that book. Me with my hands on Daniel's hips, holding on to him from behind, me on my knees in front of him, him on all fours in front of me, him on his back wrapping his legs around my waist. Whoa. It was way too hot in this room. It took all my self control not to grab a cushion off the couch and stick it in front of my suddenly too-tight jeans, but under the circumstances, I thought that would probably just draw attention to the problem. Instead, I shifted slightly to ease the discomfort. Huh. Maybe I could do this after all.

There was a bit of a pause as I thought about what we were getting ourselves into. I have no idea what he was thinking. I' was feeling a bit self-conscious at the moment. I had the feeling he was too. We both took a drink at the same time. I finally broke the silence. Someone had to.

"So what do we do now?"

"I don't know. Date?"

"You mean like real dates? 'Date' dates? Flowers and candle light and chocolates -"

"Well, we're both guys. We can probably skip the flowers. But chocolate is good. I like chocolate."

I can't help but grin, "Yeah, you do, don't you?" Hmmm, that got him blushing. I'm suddenly having visions of naked skin, chocolate syrup and a big old can of whipped cream. My breath catches. I think I need to calm down. I remind myself that we probably ought to start with something simple, like maybe: more kissing? 

"We're going to have to be pretty circumspect. I mean, you're still in the Air Force and all. We need to be very careful."

"Right. Careful. And we don't even know if this will work."

"That's true. If it doesn't - I don't want to lose our friendship, Jack. That's important to me. I hope you realize that."

"I do Daniel. It's important to me, too. Very important. So we just have to be careful."

"Right." 

"Right."

"So."

"So...maybe we should go to bed. I mean separately, that is. In our own beds. By ourselves."

"Right. I don't think we're ready for...anything...yet."

"No. No, we're not."

"No."

I stand up. "Well, I'll just close everything up then."

"Okay. I'll get ready for bed. The guest room is all made up, then?"

"Oh, yeah. As usual. Just waiting for you. It's pretty much always been your room, Daniel. You're the only person who ever stays overnight." I realize I'm rambling, so I stop talking.

"Right. I'll just go on then."

"Okay."

I took my time downstairs. There were some pretty disturbing images running through my mind, and I wasn't sure I was ready to face Daniel until I'd thought them out. When I came up the stairs, the light was off in his room, and Daniel was already in bed. But as I passed his door, he sat up and called out to me.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Daniel?" I stopped just outside the door.

"Do you think it would be okay - well, if we, that is...could we try - maybe just a kiss goodnight?"

"Oh. Alright. Um, yeah. We could try that." I stepped into the room, slowly, hoping he'd get out of the bed and meet me halfway. But he stayed where he was, so finally I just crossed over to the bed, and sat down on the very edge. There was some light from the hallway, but it was still fairly dark in the room. We inched closer, and then closer still. Like we were both afraid to be the first to touch. I realized my heart was racing and I had a sudden flash of me and my 7th grade sweetheart Louise on our first date, and I just couldn't take the suspense any more. 

"Oh for crying out loud! C'mere!" I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to me. His lips were softer than I expected, and I felt this tingle run through me as we touched. Not bad. Not bad at all. I tried again, pressed a little more firmly. Even better. I nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment, and he parted them and suddenly it was a real live *kiss.* I felt his tongue touch mine, and that tingle just exploded, spreading out to all parts of my body. 

We dove into each other's mouths, kissing passionately, strongly, holding on to each other like we might fly away if we let each other go. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer to me, and he let out this little squeaking kind of noise. Oops! Wrong shoulder. I mumbled "Sorry." into his mouth, and he huffed for a second, but then we both got lost in the kiss again. 

The kiss was warm and loving, it was brave and impassioned, intense and exquisite and I knew at that moment that there was not going to be any problem with a physical relationship, because kissing Daniel was hotter than anything I had ever done before. We parted, both of us panting for breath, and even in the dim light from the door we could see each other's grins. 

"Oh yeah." I ran my hand along his jaw line, my fingers picking up the rough edge of his stubble. Weird. But kind of cool, too. "I think this is going to work out just fine."

Daniel reached around to the back of my head and pulled me in for another kiss. But at the last second he pulled back enough to say: "Just no more guns, okay?"

"Alright already! No guns, I promise."


End file.
